This week’s theme: Duets. Featured artists include John Cotrane, McCoy Tyner, Sonny Rollins, Philly Joe Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Art Pepper, George Cables, Al Cohn, Jimmy Rowles, Tal Farlow, Dan Axelrod, Stephane Grappelli, Marc Fosset, Zoot Sims, Bucky Pizzarelli, John Lewis, Hank Jones, George Shearing, Carmen McRae, Rosemary Clooeny, Ed Bickert, Nancy Lamott, Christopher Marlowe, Ken Sebesky.

This week’s theme: Jazz tracks that reference U.S. cities and states. Featured artists include Al Cohn, Barry Harris, John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, Elvin Jones, Oscar Peterson, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Rouse, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Ray Brown, Buddy Rich, Rosemary Clooney, John Oddo, Richie Cole, Bruce Forman, Scott Hamilton, Warren Vache, Nancy LaMott, Freddie Redd and many more.

Theme: Jazz instrumental and vocal versions of songs written by Frank Loesser. Featured artists include Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Red Garland, Philly Joe Jones, Paul Chambers, Bill Evans, Eddie Costa, Charles Rouse, Julius Watkins, Gildo Mahones, Teddy Charles, Phil Woods, Bob Brookmeyer, Zoot Sims, Herb Geller, Gene Quill, Hal McKusick, Al Cohn, Ray Charles, Betty Carter, Sammy Davis Jr., Carmen McRae, Hoagy Carmichael, Art Pepper, Rosemary Clooney, Scott Hamilton, Warren Vache, and many more.

This week’s theme: Welcoming in 2025, Part 2. Featured artists include John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Ornette Coleman, Ella Fitzgerald, Oliver Nelson, Stan Getz, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Shorty Rogers, Art Pepper, Miles Davis, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims and many more.

This week’s theme: Two-tenor LPs. Featured artists include John Coltrane, Paul Quinichette, Sonny Rollins, Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Rouse, Ben Webster, Sonny Stitt, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, Gene Ammons, Dexter Gordon, Paul Gonsalves, Hank Mobley.

Here’s one with a start price of $750: Joe Henderson, Page One, Blue Note 4140. This looks to be an original New York USA mono pressing. The record and cover are listed in VG++ condition, but on close inspection, the cover looks closer to VG+ with some wear around the title, unless that’s just a flaw in the picture from the seller. In any case, the price is still $750, with no bidders so far. We have seen this record sell for more than $1,000 several times in the past, according to Popsike, with a high of $2,000 on the nose, if we are to believe that was the actual price and the sale actually went through.

Here’s one listed at about $450: Bill Evans and Jim Hall, Undercurrent, United Artists, 15003. I never actually thought about how weird this cover is. Perhaps someone with greater insight into artistic symbolism can tell me what it might have to do with the lovely piano/guitar music on the album. In any case, this album looks to be in M- condition for the record and cover in the original loose plastic seal. So far there are no bidders. This record has once sold for as much as $475, back in 2006. There is also a 14003 version of this record with a different cover. I put it to the JC community: Is 14003 or 15003more original than the other. The cover below is from the one listed now on eBay.

Meanwhile, I was watching this record and it didn’t sell at all: John Coltrane (et al), Tenor Conclave, Prestige 7074. This was an original New York yellow label pressing, listed in VG+ condition for the record and VG for the cover. The start price was about $400 and there were no bidders.

I happened to pull this record off my shelf the other day to listen. I’m trying to get back to records that are not on my frequently played list. What I found most interesting about this record, as you would expect, was Coltrane. He is still relatively early in his development — this was before his first album as a full-fledged leader — and his playing is safer and more straight-ahead than it would be even a few months later. The other tenor players are Zoot Sims, Al Cohn and Hank Mobley, so it is quite a session, along with Red Garland, Paul Chambers and Art Taylor. If it was on Blue Note, what would it be worth in that condition? Close to $1,000 or more, right? Anyway, if you don’t own this record, it’s a good one. And, of course, in my collection, which is organized alphabetically and not by label, this one is filed with the Coltranes.

That Sonny Rollins Worktime UK pressing that we were watching also finally sold. This one was in Ex condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The final price was about $135. The same record had previously sold for about $270, so perhaps the buyer got a bargain. I would take it at the final price so, seller, if you are a reader of Jazz Collector and this deal also fails to be consummated, you know where to find me.

That autographed Thelonious Monk record, At the Blackhawk, Riverside 323, wound up selling for $697. Based on the comments from the previous post (thank you again, Don-Lucky), this seems to be a legitimate autograph and it seems to be a good price for the buyer.

One more for today: Lou Donaldson, Wailing With Lou, Blue Note 1545. This was an original pressing with the New York 23 address. The record was M- and the cover was VG+. The price was $438. Given what original pressings of Blue Notes are selling for this days, this seemed pretty reasonable to me, given when the record was released and the fact that it’s a darn nice record.

John Coltrane, Tenor Conclave, Prestige 7074. Notice how I listed this as a John Coltrane record. It is actually one of those Prestige jam sessions featuring Coltrane along with Hank Mobley, Al Cohn and Zoot Sims. So Why do I think of it as a Coltrane record? Because that’s where I place it within my collection, under the Coltranes. Where else would you put it? Mobley aficionados aside, Coltrane is the one transformational musician in that group, aside from being, by far, my favorite tenor play among the four of them. So, to me, it’s always been a Coltrane record, and one I am quite happy to own.  This one was in M- condition for the record and probably VG+ or VG++ for the cover. It sold for $350. A bargain for someone, IMHO. This one falls into the same category: John Coltrane, Wheelin’ and Dealin’, Prestige 7131. This one features Coltrane along with Frank Wess and Paul Quinichette. For me, it’s a Coltrane record. This one was in VG+ condition for the record and the cover and sold for $263. Wonder what prices they would be selling for if they were on Blue Note? Double that? Triple?

And now some Blue Notes:

Jutta Hipp, Jutta, Blue Note 5056. This is an original 10-inch pressing. The listing was a little weird. At one point the seller describes it as near mint for the record, at another it is described as VG+. The cover was VG+. The price was 449.

Pete La Roca, Basra, Blue Note 4205. This was an original New York USA pressing that looked to be in probably VG++ condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $353.88.

We thought this one would end up in the $2,000 bin, but it came up just short: Lee Morgan Sextet, Blue Note 1541. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. Very nice. It sold for $1,845.

Here’s another that may not sell: Sonny Rollins Plays, Period 1204. This is an original deep groove pressing. The record and the cover are both listed in VG+ condition. The start price is around $500 and so far there are no takers with four days to do.

This one did not sell and has been relisted:

Al Cohn Quintet With Bob Brookmeyer, Coral 57118. This is an original pressing in what looks to be the original shrink wrap, with a discount price sticker offering the record a the reduced rate of $1.17. Ah, that would be nice to walk into a store and find a record like this for $1.17. This one, in VG+ condition for the record and M- for the cover, was offered at a start price of  $79.99, but did not sell. It is now offered for a price just $5 less, closing in three days.